PERNEM
After two weeks of destroying plantations at a number of villages in Pernem taluka, the elephant ‘Omkar’ moved out of Goa and was spotted at Madura Rekhwadi in Maharashtra.
According to locals, the elephant had caused extensive damage to plantations in Mopa, Torxem, Tambosem and Ugvem villages in Pernem. Affected farmers have suffered heavy losses and are relying on compensation from the government.
Unhappy with the Forest Department’s inability to move the elephant away from Goa and prevent it from causing further damage to plantations, farmers and villagers in Ugvem had planned a 'Hathi Bhagao' campaign on Sunday in a determined bid to chase the elephant away.
As part of the plan, the locals were to assemble near a temple at 10.30 am on Sunday, from where they would go along with crackers, drums and torches to scare away the elephant and drive it away from Goa.
On Saturday, the elephant is reported to have crossed Goa from Tambosem village and entered Madura area in Sindhudurg-Maharashtra, where it began damaging plantations in the area. Farmers there are desperate to drive the elephant away from their locality and farmers in Pernem are concerned that the elephant would find its way back to Pernem taluka, given the porous border between the two States.
The Forest Department has posted a team near the Terekhol river to monitor the movements of the elephant.
Ugvem-Mopa-Tambosem Sarpanch Subodh Mahale said the elephant had caused extensive damage to plantations and agriculture.
“Farmers were frustrated and helpless on seeing their plantations getting damaged over these many days, said Mahale.
